1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the electrical control from a remote point of equipment for heating and/or cooling living space areas and, more particularly, to apparatus for effecting such control over temperature altering devices in rooms of hotels, motels or the like in a manner utilizing portions of a conventional telephone installation to minimize the additional components and connections required. The invention aids in the conservation of energy through the selective exertion of temperature control over unoccupied rooms, while permitting normal telephone operation, message alert signalling and local control over temperature when the room is occupied.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Insofar as I am aware, prior efforts to provide control over the operation of remote temperature altering devices such as employed in the guest rooms of hotels, motels and the like either have utilized separate control wires specially provided for such purpose and extending from a central area from which control is to be exerted to each of the rooms to be controlled or have attempted to utilize electrical power wiring to carry special control signals superimposed upon the line power and requiring special devices to generate and receive. Either of such prior approaches is manifestly more complex and/or expensive than my invention, which, for example, utilizes the "tip" and "ring" coupling lines typically already existing and in place between a central control area and the various guest rooms of the establishment as a part of a conventional telephone installation at such establishment.